Marriage takes work. We don’t like that sentence, do we? We wish that maintaining a healthy, loving, Christ-exalting marriage came as easily as “falling in love” comes to star-struck lovers in the movies! But we know that isn’t true. “Falling in lust/passion/non-love” is easy, but the biblical, rock solid relationships Scripture commands requires the Holy Spirit’s presence and power.
David Powlison of CCEF helps us to think about how to make our marriages into better friendships.
And as a follow up, listen in as Dr. Powlison explains how spouses can know each other better through richer conversation:
This is a reminder that Pastor Brian will be out of the office today on personal time off helping his family. If you need to contact him, please leave a message at the church, email him, or call his cell phone. Blessings on your day!
On Saturday, March 29 the movie Son of God will be playing at the Avery Theater. We will be going to see the 7p.m. showing!
Son of God runs 2 hours and 18 minutes and is rated PG-13 for dramatic realism and violence associated with the Crucifixion. Parents should show caution and wisdom as to what age is appropriate for children. While based off the events recorded in Holy Scripture of the four Gospels, no movie is itself the Good News of Jesus Christ. You may wish to consider this an evangelistic opportunity, inviting a friend, neighbor, relative or co-worker to see the movie with you, and then discuss the film over dessert or fellowship. To that end, Zion will be producing a set of discussion questions for those who wish to discuss the film.
Tickets for adults are $4, and children (under 12 years old) runs for $3. Due to the nature of the set up, any tickets reserved will be non refundable. If you would like to have your tickets purchased for you ahead of time in a block, please fill out the form below, sign up at Church, or email Pastor Brian.
Navigating the challenges of marriage has never been easy, and more and more couples find today’s cocktail of work stress, raising kids, and social norms to be even more difficult. Many of us respond by looking for a quick fix or universal answers. Ironically, we know these simple solutions are not deeply satisfying or long term remedies. So what should we do?
Winston T. Smith’s Marriage Matters (New Growth Press, 2010) offers helpful advice when we are searching:
When a person has one solution to every problem, we’re tempted to write him or her off as simplistic or shallow. We aren’t interested in pat answers. But knowing Jesus and understanding that he’s your Savior and the solution to life’s problems doesn’t make working through life’s problems easy. As we grow in understanding his rich and varied love and wisdom, you’ll know that there’s nothing simplistic about this answer. As we grow in different areas of marriage and how we’re to follow him, you’ll see the richness and power of Jesus and his love.
(From p. 69. Emphasis mine.)
Jesus isn’t a simple or trite solution, but He is the Solution. And in Christ’s beautiful, complex, and rich grace, we find all we need for our own marriages. In Ephesians 5, we see a picture of how Jesus is the answer for both husbands and wives. Wives are to respectfully submit and follow their husbands. This isn’t because they are inferior or lesser; quite the opposite! They submit because that is what Jesus did in His life, being fully submissive to the Father and dependent on the Spirit. Husbands are to model Christ as well: just as Jesus sacrificed His life to beautify His spouse the Church, so husbands are to lay down their lives in sacrificial leadership to supply all that their wives need in the Lord. As Christians, man and woman submit one to another (Eph 5:21), and as husbands and wives they carry out their unique duties so that their own marriages would be a mysterious picture of the Gospel!
How this looks from one couple to the next will be complex, unique, and require wisdom. And that is why Jesus is the answer to whatever particular challenge you are facing in your own marriage… right now!
In the weeks leading up to Easter this year, we want to make sure we “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). As we ponder our Savior’s obedience and suffering, we will ask the question, “why the Cross?” as we gather with the other congregations in town. We receive so many benefits from Jesus’ sacrifice, and we will take time to focus on each of these.
Unless otherwise noted, all services will be held at 7pm at the host church, with light refreshments and fellowship afterwards. An offering will be taken that will be distributed evenly between the Garner Ambulance Fund, Meals on Wheels, Church Help Fund, and God’s Pantry. Questions? Call the church office.
The Zion Chronicles for March 2014 is now available for download. You can view the document or download it here. Also, we have updated the church calendar for the month. You can view that by month, week, daily, or agenda style, by clicking here.
Zion Evangelical & Reformed Church 